YOUR FRIDAY MUST READ -- “10 Crucial Decisions That Reshaped America: Nothing about the most dramatic campaign in memory was a foregone conclusion. The inside story of the pivotal choices that got us to President Trump,” by Glenn Thrush http://politi.co/2hsu0BO

TO SHUT DOWN, OR NOT TO SHUT DOWN? -- “Dem blockade threatens brief government shutdown,” by Burgess Everett, Seung Min Kim, and Ben Weyl: “Democrats are pushing the government to the brink of a shutdown, with coal country Senate Democrats leading a strategy to oppose a GOP spending bill if their demands aren’t met for a longer extension of expiring health care benefits for coal miners. Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Sherrod Brown (Ohio), two senators up for reelection in 2018 from states won by Donald Trump, are leading the charge to get a better deal from Republican leaders. And their push helped hardened resistance to the GOP throughout the rest of the 46-member Democratic caucus as the day went on.

“But Republicans say they will not renegotiate a four-month extension of coal miner health benefits and that Democrats have lost all leverage after the House passed the spending bill, 326-96, and then promptly left town. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell set in motion votes to pass the bill, leaving Democrats only procedural tactics to delay the measure through Friday's funding deadline — which would put Senate Democrats in line to be blamed for a potential government shutdown. Flanked by coal miners during a bitingly cold outdoor press conference on Thursday evening Manchin insisted this is ‘not a shutdown issue’ and maintained he has a ‘strong commitment’ from his Democratic colleagues to stand firm and demand a year-long health care extension.” http://politi.co/2hcbxwV

-- Worth noting: House Republicans have taken their last vote of the year, and left down. They passed a bill that would fund the government through April 28.

THERE’S BUZZ that Donald Trump will tap Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) to be Interior secretary. If he does, it would have the unintended consequence of sparking what could be one of the most competitive races for House Republican leadership in recent memory. Since McMorris Rodgers -- known in D.C. as CMR -- is the only woman in the top rung of Republican leadership, there would be pressure to replace her with another woman. PEOPLE YOU SHOULD WATCH: Indiana Rep. Susan Brooks, California Rep. Mimi Walters, Tennessee Rep. Marsha Blackburn and Utah Rep. Mia Love. Rachael Bade and Kyle Cheneyhttp://politi.co/2h3XFUT.

BREAKING OVERNIGHT -- From AP in Seoul, “South Korean president is impeached in stunning fall”: “South Korean lawmakers on Friday impeached President Park Geun-hye, a stunning and swift fall for the country's first female leader amid protests that drew millions into the streets in united fury. After the vote, parliamentary officials hand-delivered formal documents to the presidential Blue House that stripped Park of her power and allowed her No. 2, Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, to assume leadership until the country's Constitutional Court rules on whether Park must permanently step down. The court has up to six months to decide.” http://apne.ws/2grFEPy

CABINET TALK -- “Trump builds a brass Cabinet: Infatuated with military swagger and Hollywood’s Patton, the president-elect sets outlines of military-run civilian government,” by Shane Goldmacher: “As President-elect Donald Trump began building the top tier of his administration, he has turned to friends and advisers to ask just how many generals would be too many — suggesting he may want to tap as many as five — to fill his Cabinet and the highest rungs of the White House … Even before all his picks are finalized, Trump is on pace to assemble the most military-heavy White House and civilian administration since at least World War II. Military leaders have long held a special allure for Trump, according to people who have spoken to the president-elect both during the formation of his Cabinet and in the years before, including some Hollywood portrayals.” http://politi.co/2haGe2t

-- “Trump on Cabinet: ‘I want people that made a fortune’,” by Ken Vogel and Madeline Conway in Des Moines, Iowa: “Donald Trump on Thursday brushed aside concerns that he had tapped too many super-rich people for his cabinet, saying ‘I want people that made a fortune!’ and boasting that he was ‘putting together one of the great cabinets that has ever been assembled in the history of our nation.’ In a campaign-style speech at a convention center here, he playfully rejected criticism that his nominees - a group that includes four billionaires with Thursday's appointment of former wrestling executive Linda McMahon to head the Small Business Administration - are not reflective of the American public. Seemingly focusing on those who would renegotiate trade deals on behalf of his administration, Trump said ‘some of the people I’ve put on to negotiate ... are some of the most successful people in the world.’” http://politi.co/2hc4ww9

-- “Romney spotted near Trump Tower amid cabinet talks,” by Page Six’s Emily Smith: “Mitt Romney, still in the running for President-elect Donald Trump’s secretary of state, is certainly hustling for the job. A sharp-suited, carefully coiffed Romney was seen with a briefcase briskly walking on 56th Street, near Fifth Avenue, on Thursday. A witness said, ‘Romney was walking away from Trump Tower and seemed in a hurry, like he didn’t want to be seen.’” http://nyp.st/2gjLi7S

****** A message from UnitedHealth Group: We’re offering ideas for a modern, high-performing, simpler health care system: expanding access to care, making care more affordable, supporting and modernizing Medicare and reinvesting in health. Learn more about these ideas at http://www.unitedhealthgroup.com ******

TRUMP TOWER INTRIGUE -- GABE SHERMAN in NYMag.com, “Trump’s Transition Team ‘Is Like Game of Thrones’”: “According to interviews with seven transition officials and senior Republicans in recent days, the question of whether senior counselor and chief strategist Steve Bannon or chief of staff Reince Priebus — represented by Trump as ‘equal partners’ in the White House — has more power is one that is being widely discussed in Trumpworld. ‘In this administration, titles will not matter,’ one transition staffer said. ‘It’s like Game of Thrones.’ ... Some Trump advisers are dismayed by Priebus’s influence because they question the Washington insider’s loyalty to the president-elect. Three sources told me that shortly after the Access Hollywood tape leaked in early October, Priebus went to Trump’s penthouse and advised the candidate to get out of the race. Priebus told Trump that if he didn’t, he ‘will go down with a worse election loss than Barry Goldwater’s.’” http://nym.ag/2gjdfNa

-- @maggieNYT: “The challenge of covering Trump isn’t just whether people are telling truth to reporters. It’s that advisers are at times lying to each other”

WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE … -- “Trump ‘originals’ say they’re getting frozen out,” by Alex Isenstadt and Ken Vogel: “[A]s President-elect Donald Trump builds out his administration, the loyalists who helped launch his campaign and powered its stunning early victories are growing worried they won’t be getting plum jobs. Many of them say they’ve heard nothing about their career prospects and, during furtive huddles, have been commiserating with one another about how they can’t seem to get their calls to top Trump transition brass returned. Some are convinced that party establishment figures who’ve taken the reins of the transition are giving them short shrift ...

“That includes people like George Gigicos, Trump’s director of advance; Michael Glassner, the former deputy campaign manager; and Stuart Jolly, the former national field director. The staffers who led Trump’s campaign in early primary states — like Matt Ciepielowski, Charles Munoz and James Merrill — haven’t been offered positions, either. Nor has Mike Rubino, who oversaw Trump’s campaign in several states, or Stephanie Milligan, who ran his Oklahoma campaign.” http://politi.co/2gjdAiX

HOW ABOUT THAT… -- “Trump Paid Nearly $2.9 Million to Family-Owned Businesses as Campaign Wound Down:Trump also gave $10 million to his campaign in the final weeks of the election,” by WSJ’s Rebecca Ballhaus. http://on.wsj.com/2hsvsEg

RNC WATCH -- “Trump zeroes in on RNC chair pick,” by Eliana Johnson, Ken Vogel and Alex Isenstadt: “The Republican National Committee may sit on Capitol Hill, but its fate is being decided in Manhattan, where the field of contenders to run it has narrowed to two leading candidates, Michigan GOP chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel and Nick Ayers, a Republican operative currently serving as an aide to Vice President-elect Mike Pence. High in Trump Tower, dueling factions in President-elect Donald Trump’s orbit have lined up behind each of the candidates, according to half a dozen people familiar with the discussions. The situation is fluid, transition sources cautioned: Others in the mix include RNC official Matt Pinnell and veteran Bush operative Mercedes Schlapp, whose names are being floated as potential co-chairs as the two sides work toward a solution.” http://politi.co/2hmqjlc

AARON SCHOCK will not be silenced! The former congressman, who has been indicted on 24 criminal counts that essentially allege he used his public office to make money, filed opposition to a gag order requested by the government ahead of his arraignment next week. Our favorite line: “[T]he government suggested that Mr. Schock sought to ‘screen himself’ from public scrutiny and turn himself into a ‘super-citizen, immune from criminal responsibility.’ … Comments such as these were picked up and repeated in the media, where coverage has been extensively one-sided.”

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK -- ANDY KEISER, former deputy national security adviser for the Trump for America transition team, is joining Navigators Global as a principal of the firm. Keiser also served as chief of staff to former House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) and senior adviser to the committee.

-- MEREDITH KELLY, the DCCC’s national press secretary last cycle and an alum of Sen. Chuck Schumer’s communications shop, has signed on to be the party committee’s communications director for the 2018 cycle. From DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján: “Meredith is a smart tactician and her aggressive approach put House Republicans on defense last cycle. I know that she will play a crucial role in driving strategy that protects our incumbents and maximizes House Democratic gains in 2018.”

BUZZ -- Tim Huelskamp, who lost his primary in Kansas, is talking about running for Rep. Mike Pompeo’s House seat. Pompeo is Trump’s nominee for CIA director.

HOT DOCS -- Marlene Ricketts gave Speaker Paul Ryan’s main political committee $100,000 on Oct. 25. Facnudo Bacardi gave him $25,000 on Oct. 24… Hotelier Andre Balazs gave Hillary Clinton $100,000 on Oct. 27 … New York supermarket magnate John Catsimatidis gave Clinton $50,000 on Oct. 25 … Ted Leonsis, the owner of the Capitals and Wizards, and his wife gave Clinton $100,000 on Oct. 28 … Trump’s victory fund got $249,000 from Robert Johnson of the Johnson Company … Bridget Rooney Koch gave Trump’s victory effort $50,000 … Ray Washburne kicked in $50,000

-- FINAL TALLY by POLITICO’s Isaac Arnsdorf: “Clinton and her allies, including her joint committees with the Democratic Party and the super PACs supporting her, raised more than $1.2 billion for the full [2016] cycle, according to the last reports filed Thursday with the Federal Election Commission. Trump and his allies collected about $600 million.” http://politi.co/2hcDrXb

HAPPENING TODAY -- Donald Trump is holding a rally in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at 10 a.m. followed by a 7 p.m. rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan. … Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel will participate in a Brookings Institution discussion on cities in the age of Trump and Brexit at 10 a.m. today http://brook.gs/2h3TkRI

Playbook Reads

PHOTO DU JOUR: Vice President Joe Biden shares a laugh with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a ceremony to unveil a portrait of Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid on Capitol Hill on Dec. 8. | Evan Vucci/AP Photo

FIRST PERSON – CHUCK JONES in the WaPo, “I’m the union leader Donald Trump attacked. I’m tired of being lied to about our jobs”: “Though Trump said he’d saved 1,100 jobs, he hadn’t. Carrier told us that 550 people would get laid off. Trump didn’t tell people that, though. When he spoke at our plant, he acted like no one was going to lose their job. People went crazy for him. They thought, because of Trump, I’m going to be able to provide for my family. All the while, I’m sitting there, thinking that’s not what the damn numbers say.” http://wapo.st/2gI91uV

--“Carrier to ultimately cut some of jobs Trump saved,” by CNN Money’s Chris Isidore: “The company’s deal with President-elect Donald Trump to keep a furnace plant from moving to Mexico also calls for a $16 million investment in the facility.But that has a big down side for some of the workers in Indianapolis.Most of that money will be invested in automation said to Greg Hayes, CEO of United Technologies, Carrier’’ corporate parent. And that automation will replace some of the jobs that were just saved.” http://cnnmon.ie/2hc1Ezi

MUST READ -- “This is what happens when Donald Trump attacks a private citizen on Twitter,” by WaPo’s Jenna Johnson: “About a year ago, 18-year-old college student Lauren Batchelder stood up at a political forum in New Hampshire and told Donald Trump that she didn’t think he was ‘a friend to women.’The next morning, Trump fired back on Twitter — calling Batchelder an ‘arrogant young woman’ and accusing her of being a ‘plant’ from a rival campaign. Her phone began ringing with callers leaving threatening messages that were often sexual in nature. Her Facebook and email inboxes filled with similar messages. As her addresses circulated on social media and her photo flashed on the news, she fled home to hide. ... This is what happens when Trump targets a private citizen who publicly challenges him.” http://wapo.st/2hc1wzD

REMEMBERING JOHN GLENN -- NYT’s John Noble Wilford, who also wrote the Times front-page moon landing story (!) in 1969: “John Glenn, a freckle-faced son of Ohio who was hailed as a national hero and a symbol of the space age as the first American to orbit Earth, then became a national political figure for 24 years in the Senate, died on Thursday in Columbus, Ohio. ... In just five hours on Feb. 20, 1962, Mr. Glenn joined a select roster of Americans whose feats have seized the country’s imagination and come to embody a moment in its history, figures like Lewis and Clark, the Wright brothers and Charles Lindbergh. To the America of the 1960s, Mr. Glenn was a clean-cut, good-natured, well-grounded Midwesterner, raised in Presbyterian rectitude, nurtured in patriotism and tested in war, who stepped forward to risk the unknown and succeeded spectacularly, lifting his country’s morale and restoring its self-confidence.” http://nyti.ms/2grl4in

TRUMP INC. -- “Donald Trump to Remain Executive Producer on ‘Celebrity Apprentice,’” by Variety’s Cynthia Littleton: “NBC’s ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ ... is returning Jan. 2 after a two-year hiatus with new host Arnold Schwarzenegger. MGM confirmed to Variety that Trump has retained his EP credit on the series. ... The larger issue for MGM, NBC, and the White House is the payment that Trump will receive for the series. It’s unclear what his per-episode fee is, but it is likely to be in the low five-figures, at minimum.” http://bit.ly/2hmbzCO…Trailer for the new seasonhttp://bit.ly/2gIAM6F

HMM -- C.T. POST: “Report: Bobby Valentine pitched as Japan ambassador”: Bobby Valentine as U.S. ambassador to Japan? WEEI.com reports that multiple sources are telling the Boston station that Valentine is on a short-list of candidates for the job of United States Ambassador to Japan. The 66-year-old, who currently serves as Sacred Heart University’s athletics director, has engaged in ‘preliminary discussions’ with President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team regarding the position. When contacted Thursday night, Valentine refused comment.” http://bit.ly/2grKzAb

--NOTE: Valentine is a former manager of the Mets and Red Sox. He also managed a team in Japan and is from Stamford, Connecticut.

DAVID CORN in Mother Jones, “Does Donald Trump Believe Nuclear War Is Inevitable? The man about to take control of US nukes has a very fatalistic view”: “During a 1990 interview with Playboy, he was asked about running for president (yes, even then) and to describe what ‘would be some of President Trump's longer-term views of the future.’ Trump replied, ‘I think of the future, but I refuse to paint it. Anything can happen. But I often think of nuclear war.’” http://bit.ly/2haiQSH … The interview http://bit.ly/2hcedKK

****** A message from UnitedHealth Group: What does it take to create a modern, high-performing, simpler health care system? Expanding access to care through proven state-based coverage and employer-sponsored insurance. Making health care more affordable with consumer-directed care and value-based payments. Supporting and modernizing Medicare to meet the complex health challenges of America’s seniors. And reinvesting in health to support research and innovation. Learn more about these ideas at http://www.unitedhealthgroup.com ******

ICYMI -- “How Trump got yanked into GOP’s IRS impeachment fight,” by John Bresnahan and Rachael Bade: “In the frenzied hours as the impeachment showdown neared, multiple conversations ensued between Priebus and Freedom Caucus leaders. There are conflicting accounts of where the outgoing Republican Party chairman came down. GOP leaders say Priebus remained opposed to [John] Koskinen’s impeachment. Freedom Caucus sources counter that Priebus called them back several times to retract any such opposition and say Trump’s inner circle would remain neutral.” http://politi.co/2han2Ss

LIVE FROM WALL STREET -- “Eric Cantor column: Rebuilding a responsive Virginia GOP” in the Richmond Times Dispatch with the header “Turn Virginia Red Again” http://bit.ly/2gjMZlN

FRED SMITH SPEAKS -- From our Morning Trade colleagues: “The free-traders are fighting back. In a speech this morning at the National Competitiveness Forum, Fedex Chairman Fred Smith extols the benefits of trade and free trade agreements in sunnily optimistic terms that stand in stark contrast to President-elect Donald Trump’s dark view of the pacts. ‘Trade has made America great, and expanding trade has been a bi-partisan pursuit for over 80 years,’ Smith plans to tell the Washington meeting, according to excerpts … The 72-year-old business leader warns that withdrawing from the North American Free Trade Agreement, as Trump has threatened to do, ‘would be catastrophic for the U.S. economy’ and expresses hope the 23-year-old pact will be ‘updated and strengthened’ instead.”

HILLARY ALUMNI -- “Former Clinton staffer launches new anti-Trump site: corrupt.af,” by Blake Hounshell: “Matt Ortega, who served as Clinton’s digital director for communications until he left the campaign in June, told POLITICO that he launched the site ‘completely on my own and out of my own pocket.’ Officially, the ‘af’ in the site’s web address is the country code for Afghanistan ... Unofficially, in the abbreviated argot of texting and online chatting, ‘af’ stands for ‘as f***.’” http://politi.co/2hs3V5S

PRESIDENT OBAMA will appear next Monday on “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,” in an interview that will be taped at the White House. http://on.cc.com/2gqB2t8

MEGATRENDS – “Barely Half of 30-Year-Olds Earn More Than Their Parents,” by WSJ’s Bob Davis: “In 1970, 92% of American 30-year-olds earned more than their parents did at a similar age, they found. In 2014, that number fell to 51%.” http://on.wsj.com/2hdnUX2

MEDIAWATCH -- “Could a Last-Minute Suitor Woo Megyn Kelly Away from Fox News?” by Vanity Fair’s Sarah Ellison: “Within the last month, according to a person familiar with the discussions, ABC has renewed, and perhaps sweetened, its effort to woo Kelly. At one point, in an overture, Kelly was shown a recruitment presentation depicting the so-called legends of ABC, which started, oddly enough, with an image of Willy Wonka, and ended with one of Kelly.” http://bit.ly/2hmd1VM

--“Clinton decries fake news ‘epidemic,’” by Elana Schor: “‘This is not about politics or partisanship,’ Clinton said during remarks at a tribute to retiring Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). ‘Lives are at risk.’” http://politi.co/2gI9mxw

--NYT Business Day front, “Nonprofit Journalism Groups Are Gearing Up With Flood of Donations,” by Nicholas Fandos: “At the Center for Public Integrity in Washington and its international investigative arm, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, individual donations are up about 70 percent compared to the same period last year. ... From local public radio affiliates to established watchdog groups to start-ups that focus on a single issue, nonprofit, nonpartisan media is having a moment.” http://nyti.ms/2hdmo7a

--BuzzFeed has hired Anthony Cormier, most recently an investigative reporter at the Tampa Bay Times, and Nancy Youssef, currently of the Daily Beast and formerly with McClatchy. http://politi.co/2hmGWx8

THE LEGENDARY JOHN MARKOFF on Medium, “I Covered Tech for the Times for 28 Years, And Now My Time Is Over”: http://bit.ly/2hc9rNE

Playbookers

SPOTTED: Ronan Farrow with Rich McHugh at the Ritz yesterday ... The Denver Nuggets staying at the Ritz Carlton in the West End … Frank Luntz at DCA boarding a 10:25 a.m. flight to Charlotte … Jay Carney last night at the Smithsonian’s American Ingenuity Awards at the National Portrait Gallery (Jeff Bezos was one of the winners) -- Mary Jordan, Jay Newton-Small, Kimball Stroud, Chris Wilson, Nika Nour, and Suhail Khan also attended

OBAMA ALUMNI -- MIKE BLAKE, a N.Y. State assemblyman, is running for DNC vice chairman. He was the Iowa caucus deputy political director for Obama in 2008, and then worked in the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement in the White House. Press release http://politi.co/2gjjJvx

WELCOME TO THE WORLD – Ed Mullen, partner at The Georgetown Group and Erin Book Mullen, principal at Williams and Jensen, on Wednesday welcomed Caroline Caldwell “CC” Mullen. Her big sister Amelia turns two later this month. Pic http://politi.co/2hajLCJ

-- Richard VanOrnum, a director in APCO Worldwide’s DC office, just welcomed a new addition to his family. “We checked into the hospital Monday at 4:00 pm and welcomed baby Hunter into the world about 30 hours [on Tuesday] night! He was born 8lbs, 14 oz. and is an alert, happy, healthy (and hungry!) baby.” Pic http://bit.ly/2h8JJJQ

--PIC from Wednesday night’s White House holiday press party - reunion shot of party attendees who have worked for Obama: http://bit.ly/2grN855

BGR GROUP celebrated its 25th anniversary at the St Regis Hotel on Thursday evening. Former Gov. Haley Barbour, a founder of the firm, joked in his remarks that as a lawyer, politician and lobbyist he had achieved the “trifecta.”

BIRTHDAYS OF THE DAY: former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) is 69 -- he’s celebrating with his team from The Daschle Group over lunch and then having a nice dinner with his wife Linda, and some friends -- read his Playbook Plus Q&A: http://politi.co/2gjJcFh ... Terry Moran, chief foreign correspondent for ABC News, celebrating at home with his wife and four kids – Playbook Plus Q&A: http://politi.co/2gIA213

****** A message from UnitedHealth Group: What does it take to create a modern, high-performing, simpler health care system? Expanding access to care through proven state-based coverage and employer-sponsored insurance. Making health care more affordable with consumer-directed care and value-based payments. Supporting and modernizing Medicare to meet the complex health challenges of America’s seniors. And reinvesting in health to support research and innovation. Learn more about these ideas at http://www.unitedhealthgroup.com ******

Authors:

About The Author

Anna Palmer is a senior Washington correspondent for POLITICO and co-author of POLITICO’s Playbook, the most indispensable morning newsletter for the biggest influencers in politics.

Anna covers the world of Congress and politics, and has successfully chronicled the business of Washington insiders for years. Her stories take readers behind the scenes for the biggest fights in Washington as well as the 2016 election.

Prior to becoming POLITICO’s senior Washington correspondent, Anna was the co-author of the daily newsletter, POLITICO Influence, considered a must-read on K Street.

Anna previously covered House leadership and lobbying as a staff writer for Roll Call. She got her start in Washington journalism as a lobbying business reporter for the industry newsletter Influence. She has also worked at Legal Times, where she covered the intersection of money and politics for the legal and lobbying industry, first as a staff writer and then as an editor.

A native of North Dakota, Anna is a graduate of St. Olaf College, where she was executive editor of the weekly campus newspaper, the Manitou Messenger. She lives in Washington, D.C.

About The Author

Jake Sherman is a senior writer for POLITICO and co-author of POLITICO’s Playbook, the most indispensable morning newsletter for the biggest influencers in politics.

Jake is the top congressional reporter on Capitol Hill and has built a career on landing hard-to-get scoops

Since 2009, Jake has chronicled all of the major legislative battles on Capitol Hill, and has also traveled the country to cover the battle for control of Congress.

Jake takes readers inside the rooms where decisions are made. His high-impact reporting resulted in the resignation of Aaron Schock.

Before landing at POLITICO, Jake worked in the Washington bureaus of The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek and the Minneapolis Star Tribune. He also interned on the metro desk of The Journal News (N.Y.) and, during high school, worked on the sports desk of the Stamford Advocate (Conn.).

Jake is a Connecticut native, and a graduate of The George Washington University — where he edited The GW Hatchet — and Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. Jake lives in Washington with his wife Irene, and listens to an unhealthy amount of Grateful Dead and Phish.

About The Author

Daniel Lippman is a reporter for POLITICO and a co-author of POLITICO's Playbook, the most indispensable morning newsletter for the biggest influencers in politics.

Before joining POLITICO, he was a fellow covering environmental news for E&E Publishing and a reporter for The Wall Street Journal in New York. He has also interned for McClatchy Newspapers and Reuters. During a stint freelancing in 2013, he traveled to the Turkish-Syrian border to cover the impact of the Syrian civil war for The Huffington Post and CNN.com.

He graduated from The Hotchkiss School in 2008 and from The George Washington University in 2012. Daniel hails from the Berkshires in western Massachusetts and enjoys playing tennis, seeing movies and trying out new restaurants in his free time.